Bran-packer.



No. 697,I3l. Patented Apr. 8, |902. J. S.- CAMERON.

BRAN PAGKER. (Application mea Apr. s, 1901.)

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(No Model.)

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Paten'ted Apr. 8, |902.

N. o R E M A C S J.

ERAN PACKER.

(Application led Apr. 3. 1901.)

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(H0 Model.)

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No. 697,131. Patented Apr. a, |902. J. s. CAMERON.

BRAM PACKER.

(Application led Apr. 3. 1901.)

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JOHN S. CAMERON, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-THIRDS TO IGLEHEART BROTHERS, A CORPORATIOI\T OF INDIANA, AND MELROSE MILLING COMPANY, BOTH OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

ERAN-PACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,131, dated April 8, 1902.

Application iile April 3, 1901. Serial. No. 54,177. (No model.)

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. CAMERON, a citizen ofthe United States,residing atEvausville, in the county of Vanderbnrg and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bran-Packers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to 1o which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to t-he letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a class of machines now extensively used for weighing, filling, and packing into sacks and other receptacles predetermined quantities of powdered, granular, or iiaky material, such as flour, meal,

zo bra-n, die.

My machine is particularly designed for packing bran into sacks formed of some suitable fabric, although I do not confine my invention to the use of this particular material z5 nor to the special kind of receptacles above described.

Generally speaking, my machine consists of an upright frame supported on a floor or platform below and by beams overhead.

3o lVithin this frame I suspend by chains or ropes a trunk or tube, on the lower end of which the sack is placed and the whole lowered into a folding box for supporting the sack when its contents are subjected to pressure. Vithin the trunk or tube the bran is deposited from an automatic weighing device,

after which a piece of cloth drawn across the mouth of the trunk by suitable mechanism from a continuous roll is cut. A plunger drawn into the trunk to compress the bran into the sack carries the severed piece of fabric before it. The descent of the plunger acts on the chains which support the trunk and gradually withdraws it from the packingbox and the sack, the latter being held in the box by the pressure of the plunger on the bran. After the plunger has reached its lowest limit it will extend a short distance within the box, the trunk in the meantime having been wholly withdrawn therefrom. The box 5o is now to be opened, the mouth of the sack folded over the cover-piece, and the whole package tied by suitable bands provided for the purpose. After the bands are all secured the plunger is raised, thereby releasing the package, which is removed from the machine and the box closed, a new sack placed on the trunk, and the machine is ready for a second operation.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a rear 6o elevation of my packing-machine, the plunger and trunk being in their highest position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the plunger-in its highest and the trunk at its lowest position. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 65 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing the plunger entering the trunk to compress the material therein. Fig. 4 is a side view of the trunk and plunger, showing how the former is raised by the descent of the latter. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sec- 7o tion of my machine on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a part of my machine enlarged. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of that part of my machine shown in Fig.

6. Fig. 8 is a detail of a portion of the pack- 75 ing-box. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the packing-box closed. Fig. 10 is a similar View of the packing-box open and a package ready to be removed, and Fig. 11 is a plan view of the packing-box and attending parts. 8o

In they drawings, A indicates a floor or platform carried by joist or timbers a, to the un' der side of which beams A are secured for supporting the bearings of the driving mechanism.

Extending upwardly from the floor or platform A are uprights B, preferably four in number and made of angle-iron, although wood or other material may be substituted. They are firmly fastened to the floor and to 9o timbers or other braces B at their upper ends. Cross-ties b b connect the two front and two rear uprights, respectively, about midway their height.

C indicates a receiving trunk or tube into which the material to be compressed is deposited by a spout d, leading from the hopper I) of au automatic weighing-machine D',

which may be any one of the several wellknown types, and therefore requires no detailed description.

The trunk or tube C is supported centrally within the space formed by the four uprights B by means of two chains E E', one on each side of said trunk. Each chain is attached by one end to opposite end s of an equalizinglever C on the front side of the trunk or tube C, from whence they pass up to sprocketwheels ff on a shaft F, journaled in bearings bolted to the front uprights B. The chains extend thence horizontally to sprocket-wheels g g on a shaft G, journaled in bearings on the rear uprights B, and nally turning` downwardly to an equalizing-lever C2 on the rear of the trunk opposite the equalizing-lever C. Gear-wheels F' Gr of equal diameter, keyed or otherwise secured to the respective shafts F G, intermesh with each other, as shown, to insure the positive rotation of shaft F when the hand wheel l-I on shaft G is turned.

A compressing-plunger I, adapted to pass into and out of the trunk or tube C, is supported by a chain J, fastened to itsuppe'r end. A shaft K is supported centrally in a bearing il, bolted to the upper end of the plunger I, and at its ends in boxes lo 7c, arranged to slide between uprights B B. The shaft K carries two pulleys or chain-wheels la k', one on each side of the plunger I. Over the wheels 7c k pass chains L, their ends extending downwardly beneath the iioor A and beams A', where they are attached to conepulleys M M2 on a shaft M and to an equalizing-lever N, pivoted centrally to a bracket m, which carries one of the bearings for the shaft M. (See Fig. l.) The supporting-chain J passes around guide-pulleys j on the beam B and` thence down to a cone-pulley M3 on shaft M. A yielding device J is introduced in the length of chain J to prevent it or other parts of the mechanism from breaking in case of undue strain. A friction brake-wheel F3 is secured to the end of shaft F opposite the gear-wheel F for the purpose of holding the trunk or tube C in any position in which it may be placed. A strap f5 passes over the brake-wheel F3, one end of which is attached to a lever F4, carrying an adjustable weight F3, by which means the strap is made to bear on the wheel F3 with sufficient force to overcome the weight of the trunk C and prevent it from dropping, but not so great as to prevent it from being raised or lowered by the hand-wheel H.

On rotating the shaft M in the proper direction the chains L will be wound upon the cone-pulleys, which will cause the plunger I to be drawn down, the chain J unwinding from cone-pulley M3 for that purpose. If the plunger I, carrying the shaft K, continues its descent,the said shaft will press on the stretch of each sprocket-chain E E', extending between the wheels f and g, and carry it down with it, by this means raising the trunk or tube C, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, where the trunk is at its highest position. When the plunger is raised by the reverse rotation of shaft M, the trunk being held bythe friction device will remain in its elevated position. A guide C5 is attached to the top of the trunk or tube C and partly surrounds the lower end of the plunger I when the latter is raised above the trunk, as shown in Figs. 2, 6, and 7. This guide serves to keep the plunger in position and to direct itinto the trunk at the beginning of its downward movement. Near the lower end of the trunk C are fastened spring-catches c5, which hold the sack X in position over the lower end of the trunk C.

A box or chamber O, Within which the material is compressed or packed, stands upon the floor A beneath the trunk O in such relation thereto that when said trunk is lowered it will enter the chamber, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The chamber O is formed of four leaves or sides P, hinged to the iioor in such manner that they may be swung outwardly and downwardly to permit the easy removal of the package. The leaves or sides P are held closed by means of a band Q, surrounding the box O and bearing against wedge-blocks p, fastened to the several leaves near their upper ends. The band Q is raised to close the box O by means of rods q, attached to arms q', fastened to a rock-shaft Q', jonrnaled in suitable bearings on the beams A'. An arm Q3, also attached to the shaft Q, is connected to a hand-lever Q2 by a rod Q3.

The box O having been opened to remove a package is closed by raising the lever Q3, which will rock the shaft Q and the arms q thereon. The rods q will be raised and the band Q lifted from the floor upon which it rested, thereby swinging the leaves P, upwardly, closing the box. The leaves may be closed by hand, if desired, before the band Q is raised. The band Q bearing against the wedge-blocks will force the sides firmly together and hold them securely while compression is taking place within the box. Eccentrics or cams R, pivoted to the end leaves of the box and having hand-levers r, are employed to disengage the band Q from the wedge-blocks 19. By turning the hand-levers to the'position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9 the band Q is forced downwardly into such position that it bears slightly, if at all, on the wedge-blocks. Its weight will then cause it to fall to the floor A, or it may be lowered by operating the lever Q2.

Hangers S, depending from the beams A', support bearings for a shaft S', carrying fixed and loose pulleys T T and T2 T3, respectively. A casing U, bolted to the timbers A/, contains a wormwheel U', secured to the shaft M, heretofore mentioned. The wormwheel U is rotated by a worm S3, fixed to the shaft S.

The pulley T is driven by a cross-belt and through the connections heretofore described rotates the conepulley M3, windin g the chain IOC IOS

IIO

J thereon and raising the plunger-l, the chain L meanwhile unwinding from the cone-pulleys M M2. The pulley T',which is rotated by a straight belt in an opposite direction to pulley T, willcause the shaft M also to turn in an opposite direction and wind the chains L around the pulleys M M2, which will draw the plunger I downwardly, the chain J at the same time unwinding from the cone-pulleyiMS.

It is to be observed that the cone-pulleys M M2 are twice the diameter of the cone-pulley M3. This is necessary,because the chains L pass around pulleys K', journaled on the plunger I, and thence downwardly to the equalizing-lever N, instead of being attached directly to the plunger l, as is the case with chain J.

Bolted to the cross-brace h on the rear of the machine are two brackets V, each having a horizontal guideway fu, in which a bar V is adapted to be moved back and forth by arms W, fixed on a rock-shaft NV', mounted in bearings NVZ, bolted to the rear uprights B, as indicated in Figs. 1, 5, and 6. The arms W are operated by means of a rod w, one end of whichis formed into a handle to be grasped by the hand. The other end is pivoted to a lever w', secured to the rock-shaft WV'. By pushing the rod w rearwardly the bars V will through the connection described be drawn from the front to the rear of the machine. A reverse movement of the rod will cause the bars V to slide to the front. On the forward ends of the bars V' are spring-jaws o', adapted to be openedat the end of its forward movement by pivoted dogs ft2 and at the end of its rearward movement by fixed stops r3, attached to the lower en'd of feedspout (Z. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) Brackets h, bolted to the cross-brace h on the front of the machine, support a roll of cloth a; or other suitable material for covering the material within the sack.

After a sufficient quantity of material, as bran, has been emptied into the trunk or tube C in a manner to be described later the operator grasps the handle of rod 1U Aand draws it toward him if the bars V happen to be in rearward position. rod w will through the lever w', shaft XV', and arms Vslide the bars V toward the front of the machine to the position shown in Fig. 6. As the spring-jaws pass beneath the dogs o2 the tails t" will strike the said dog and open the jaws, which as they continue to advance will engage the edge of the cloth a' as c2 are pivoted in such manner that the tails c* of the jaws will pass without being acted upon as they move backwardly. Having drawn the cloth across the trunk C, the tails 'v4 of the jaws will strike the fixed stops o3 This movement of theV and cause the jaws to open, disengaging them from the cloth. The portion so drawn will then be severed from the roll by means of the circular knife Y in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7.

Extending horizontally across the front of the machine are two bars Y' and Z, the former being above and the latter below thel cloth. A plate e', preferably of metal, is attached to the top of the bar Z, a portion Z extending rearwardly therefrom, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and G. Upon the bar Y is mounted the knife Y, which consists in part of two yokes 'y straddling the bar Y. Pivoted in the free ends of each yoke is a circular cutting-disk y', adapted to roll upon the plate z on the barZ. The yokes are connected to each other, near their ends, by strips y2, on oneof which is attached an operatinghandle g3. A third yoke @/4 passes over the bar Y between the yokes g/ and'carrics a friction-roller p5 to bear against the under side of the bar Y. A spring yG is bolted at its center to the top ot' the yoke yl, its ends pressing upon the yokes y. The construction is'such that by turning the bolt or nut which fastens the spring to the yoke 'L1/4 more'or less pressure is placed upon the yokes y and the cutting-disks y1. VVhilethe cloth is being drawn across the trunk C, the knife Y will rest either at the extreme right or left of the machine, as represented in Fig. 5. The brackets b4 heretofore alluded to may be provided with notches, as shown in the drawings, to accommodate rolls of cloth of diiferent sizes.

1 indicates bearings bolted to the top of the front cross-brace l), in which are journaled arms 3, carrying a roller 4 and a shoe. Normally the rollers rest on the extension Z of the plate Z or the cloth thereon, the shoes projecting below and outside the extension. The shoes 5, which are fixed to the arms,

are convex on their lower faces and are -so disposed that when pins 6 on the forward end of bar V, near the clamps, strike them they will be raised and the rollers lifted off the extension Z', permitting the cloth to pass thereunder. As soon as the pins pass by the shoes the rollers fall and hold the cloth in place while being cut off and until the plunger in its descent pushes it into the trunk C. Simi'- lar rollers 4 and their supports are found at the rear of the machine and for a similar pur pose.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, a rock-shaft 10, journaled in bearings 11 below the oorA, carries an arm 12, the free end of which is pivoted to a connecting member 13 on one side of the machine. The member 13 is operated by a hand-lever 13, pivoted to one of the uprights B, or automatically by a'depending rod 7,55 on one of the boxes 7n striking a projection of the member 13. A sec-ond lever 14, fixed to the rock-shaft, operates a shifter 15 for the crossed driving-belt. VA movable sleeve 1G on the rock-shaft 3 connects levers IOO 17 and 1S together. The former lever is operated by a connecting member 19, similar in all respects to member 13 and operated in a similar manner on the other side of the machine by a rod 7c. The lever 18 operates a shifter which acts on thestraight drivingbelt.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Assumingthat the trunk C and plunger I are in their highest position, as shown in Fig. 1, it will be observed that the lower end of trunk C is above the top of the box O. This facilitates the placing thereon of the sack X, which is sustained in place by the springs e5 on the front and rear of the trunk. After placing the sack on the trunk it is lowered into the box, the sack extending a short distance above its top. Before the trunk is lowered bands o, with a loop or other fastening o on one end, are placed in the slots 1910, formed in the front and rear leaves of the box O. The descent of the trunk C carries the fastening-bands with it to the bottom of the box, the loops o' preventing the bands from pulling through the slots. The trunk is lowered, as heretofore described, by turning the handwheel H, which rotates the shaft G, and through the gear-wheels F G the shaft F, but in an opposite direction. The sprocket-wheels on said shafts will pick up the loops of the chains E E formed by the descent of the shaft hand lower the trunk or tube C. After the trunk C enters the box O the material to be packed, which has in the meanwhile been weighed, is allowed' to run into the trunk. The rod w is now operated and the cover-cloth is drawn over the mouth of the trunk and cut off. The operator at this stage moves the beltshifter 18 and throws the straight belt onto fixed pulley T', which causes shaft M to rotate in a direction to wind the chains L L onto cone-pulleys M M2 for the purpose of drawing down the plunger. The plunger descends for a certain distance, carrying the cover-cloth with it, without affecting the trunk C; but when the shaft K reaches the chains E E the continued movement of the plunger downward will cause the trunk C to rise, but at half the speed. When the plunger reaches its lowest limit, the relative position of the plunger and trunk to the box O is clearly shown in Fig. 4. The material having been compressed, the box is opened, the mouth of the sack folded over the coverpiece, and the bands tied around the package, which is now ready to be removed from the machine. The belts are afterward shifted and the shaft M rotated in the opposite direction, winding up chain J and raising the plunger. The trunk I will remain elevated, being held by the friction device. The box O being now closed, the trunk is ready to receive another sack for a repetition of the operation.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim is- 1. In a packing-machine, the combination of acompressing-box, a trunk or tube suspended by chains or other flexible bands above said box and adapted to enter and be withdrawn therefrom, a plunger supported in position to enter the trunk or tube and means on the plunger to raise the trunk as the plunger descends by acting on its supportingchains, substantially as set forth.

2. In a packing-machine, the combination of a compressing-box, a tlunk or tube supported in position to enter the box, a plunger adapted to entersaid trunk or tube and means carried by the plunger for withdrawing the trunk from the compression-box as the piston moves toward it, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a packing-machine, a trunk or tube, chains for supportingthe trunk or tube, a plunger adapted to enter and be withdrawn from the trunk or tube and means carried by the plunger for acting on the supporting-chains for raising the trunk as the plunger moves downwardly, substantially as.

Set forth.

4. In a packing-machine, the combination of a trunk or tube for receiving the material to be packed, a compression-box, a receptacle to receive the material to be compressed, a plunger for compressing the material, and means for raising the receiving trunk or tube as the plunger descends to compress the maferial in the receptacle, substantially as described.

5. In a packing-machine, the combination of a trunk or tube for receiving the material to be packed, a plunger to compress the material, and means for withdrawing said trunk or tube before the plunger has completed its compression-stroke, substantially as described.

6. In a packing-machine, the combination of a trunk or tube for receiving the material to be packed, clamps near the lower end of the trunk for retaining thereon a suitable receptacle for the material, a compressing-box placed to receive the end of the trunk with the receptacle attached, a plunger adapted to enter the Itrunk and compress the material therein into the sack, and means on the plungenfor causing the withdrawal of the trunk from within the sack as the plunger descends, substantially as set forth.

7. In a packing-machine, the combination of a reciprocating trunk or tube for receiving the material 'to be packed and for temporarily holding a receptacle on its lower end, a compressing-box,a reciprocating plunger adapted to enter the trunk for compressing the material, and means reciprocating transversely to the trunk and plunger for placing a cloth between the plunger and trunk while the plunger is withdrawn from the trunk, whereby the cloth may be carried by the plunger into the receptacle and above the material therein, substantially as set forth.

8. In a packing-machine, in combination with the frame, a trunk or tube, a shaft carrying sprockets journaled to the front of the IOC IIO

frame, a similar shaft and sprockets on the rear of frame equal gear-wheels in mesh with one another' on the shafts, a chain attached to the trunk or tube on each side and passing overthe sprocket-wheels on each shaft, means for rotating the shafts by hand and a friction device for holding the trunk in any position in which it may be placed, substantially as set forth.

9. In a packing-machine, the combination of the frame, a plunger for compressing the material -to be packed, a shaft arranged in bearings on its upper end and in sliding boxes on the frame, a pulley fixed to the shaft on each side of the plunger, a shaft at the base of the machine with conical drums iixed thereon, a chain fastened to the top of the plunger for raising it and extending over pulleys down to and around one of the conical drums, and two chains secured to the remaining conical drums for drawing the plunger down and extending upwardly, to and around the pulleys on the shaft journaled on the plunger and an equalizing-bar pivoted to a part of the frame, and to which said chains are attached substantially as set forth.

10. In a packing-machine, the combination of the frame, a plunger for compressing the material supporting a shaft carrying pulleys, a chain attached to the plunger for raising it passing over guide-pulleys to a suitable winding mechanism other chains for drawing down the plunger attached to some fixed portion of the frameand extendingupwardlyandaround the pulleys on said shaft to a winding mechanism, a reciprocating trunk in which said plunger moves, and means actuated from the plunger for elevating the trunk, substantially as set forth.

11. In apacking-machine, the combination of a frame, shafts carrying sprocket-wheels journaled in bearings on the frame, a trunk or tube, chains attached to said trunk or tube and passing over said sprocket-wheels, a plunger, a chain for raising the plunger, a shaft having pulleys journaled to the plunger, chains passing over the pulleys for drawing down the plunger, and means for operating the chains whereby the trunk or tube is raised when the shaft on the plunger in its descent encounters the chain, substantially as described.

12. A trunk or tube supported by chains, each chain passing over wheels between which is a substantially horizontal stretch of chain in combination with a plunger adapted to be lowered or drawn into the trunk or tube, and

i'means on the plunger for engaging said horiwhen the means for raising it has been removed, substantially as described.

14. The combination ofthe frame, two horiA zontal shafts each carrying two sprockets journaled respectively on the front and rear sides of said frame, a trunk or tube intermediate the shafts but below them, chains attached to equalizing-bars on the front and rear of the trunk and passing over a sprocketwheel on each shaft, and means for pressing down the stretch of chain4 between the sprockets, substantially as described.

15. The combination of the frame, a shaft carrying chain-wheels journaled one on the front and one on the rear of the machine, a trunk or tube, chains supporting the trunk or tube from the chain-wheels on the shaft, similar gear-wheels on the shafts meshing with each other, a hand-wheel on one shaft for turning the two shafts, and raising or lowering the trunk, and a friction device on either shaft to hold the tru n k in any position to whichit may be raised or lowered, substantially as decribed. r

16. 'A compressor-box consisting of hinged leaves adapted to be opened and closed,wedge blocks on the leaves, a band surrounding the compressor-boxand rods attached to the band operated by a hand-le verfor raising the band, closing and locking the leaves by forcing said band over the wedge-blocks, substantially as described.

17. A compressor-box consisting of hinged leaves, wedge-blocks on the leaves, a band adapted to be driven over the wedge-blocks for locking the leaves in closed position, and eccentrics or cams pivoted to one or more leaves for forcing the band off the wedgeblocks, substantially as described.

18. In a packing-machine, the combination of a reciprocating trunk or tube for receiving the material to be packed, a reciprocating plunger adapted to enter the trunk for packing the same, clamp-carrying bars arranged to slide forward and backward across the machine near the mouth of the trunk or tube, clamps on the bars, means for opening the clamps to receive a piece of fabric, and means for operating the clamp carrying bars t0 move the fabric across the trunk when the plunger is withdrawn from the trunk, substantially as described.

19. In a packing-machine, the combination of the frame, a reciprocating trunk or tube therein, clamp-carrying bars arranged to Slide forward-and backward across the machine on each side of said trunk near its mouth, clamps on the bars, means for opening the clamps at the front of the machine to receive a piece of fabric, means for operating the clamp-bars to draw the fabric across the trunk, a knife for cutting a piece of fabric of suitable size from a roll or strip after the fabric has been drawn across the mouth of the trunk, and means on the rear of the machine for opening the clamps to release the fabric, substantially as described.

IOO

IIO

IIS

20. In a packing-machine, the combination of the frame, clamp-carrying bars supported on the frame and arranged to draw a piece of fabric across it, rollers mounted on pivoted arms adapted to press on the edges of the fabric, shoes on the pivoted arms and a pin on the clamp-carrying bar for acting on the shoes and raising the rollers from the fabric, substantially as described.

21. In a packing-machine, the combination of the frame, a shaft journaled therein, winding-drums on the shaft, a plunger, a chain on one drum for raising the plunger, a shaft on the plunger, an equalizing-bar, chains fixed at one end to said equalizing-bar and passing up to and over pulleys on the shaft journaled on the plunger and then down to Windingdrums, and means for rotating the shaft in opposite directions, whereby the elevatingchain unwinds from its drum at proportionate speed to the winding of the chains on the other drums and vice versa, substantially as described.

22. In a packing-machine, the combination of a trunk for receiving the material to be packed and supporting on its lower end the receptacle for holding said material, a compressor-boX into which the trunk and receptacle may enter, a plunger adapted to enter the trunk, compress the material and Withdraw said tru nk at the same operation, means for holding the bands with which the package is secured, and means for opening the compressor-box to remove the closed package, substantially as described.

23. The combination in a packing-machine of a compressor-box, a plunger adapted to enter therein, chains attached to cone-pulleys for drawing the plunger into the compressorboX, a chain attached to a cone-pulley for raising the plunger,y worm-gearing for operating a shaft carrying the cone-pulleys, a reciprocating trunk into which the plunger enters, and means actuated from the plunger for elevating the trunk, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ot' two Witnesses.

JOHN S. CAMERON.

Witnesses:

ROB RUsToN, A. W. IGLEHEART. 

